Banknote handling apparatus and method of controlling banknote handling apparatus

ABSTRACT

A banknote handling apparatus and a method of controlling the banknote handling apparatus that make the display of complicated functions and configuration of a banknote handling apparatus easy for the operator to understand. A banknote handling apparatus of the present invention includes an operation unit that accepts an instruction from an operator, first and second display units that can display graphics, a storage unit that stores first and second data for display on the first and second display units, detecting part that detects an occurrence of a predetermined event, and a control unit that reads out first and second data stored in the storage unit based on the content of the event, causes the first display unit to display the first data, and causes the second display unit to display the second data, when the detecting part detects the occurrence of the predetermined event.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a banknote handling apparatus and amethod of controlling the banknote handling apparatus, and particularly,to a banknote handling apparatus that includes a plurality of displayunits capable of displaying graphics and that displays graphics easy forthe operator to understand and a method of controlling the banknotehandling apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In recent years, along with the complication of the functions andconfigurations of banknote handling apparatuses, it is desired to makethe display of menu screens and abnormalities (for example, jams) of thebanknote handling apparatuses easy for the operator to understand.Consequently, a banknote handling apparatus including a plurality ofdisplay units is known.

For example, a banknote handling apparatus disclosed in Japanese PatentLaid-Open No. 2000-259895 (hereinafter referred to as “Patent Document1”) includes a function display unit 208, a whole display unit 209, andfirst to third individual display units 210 to 212. The function displayunit 208 displays the set contents and guidance for setting functions.The whole display unit 209 is constituted by a guidance display unit 216and a digital display unit 221. When a jam occurs, the guidance displayunit 216 lights up an LED 223 corresponding to the jam occurrencelocation. The digital display unit 221 displays the total value of theamount of money or the number of banknotes in numbers. The first tothird individual display units 210 to 212 display the numbers ofbanknotes or amounts of money stacked on stacking units 69 to 71corresponding to themselves (see paragraphs 0104 to 0112, FIGS. 10, 14,and 15 of Patent Document 1).

However, the function display unit 208, the whole display unit 209, andthe first to third individual display units 210 to 212 of the banknotehandling apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 only displaypredetermined information. More specifically, the function display unit208 displays the set contents and guidance for setting functions, thewhole display unit 209 displays the jam occurrence location and thetotal value of the amount of money, and the first to third individualdisplay units 210 to 212 display the number of banknotes and the likestacked on the stacking units 69 to 71 corresponding to themselves.Therefore, it is difficult to make the display of the complicatedfunctions and configuration easy for the operator to understand in thebanknote handling apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a banknote handlingapparatus and a method of controlling the banknote handling apparatusthat make the display of complicated functions and configuration of abanknote handling apparatus easy for the operator to understand.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provideda banknote handling apparatus characterized by comprising:

an operation unit that accepts an instruction from an operator;

first and second display units that can display graphics;

a storage unit that stores first and second data for display on thefirst and second display units;

detecting part that detects an occurrence of a predetermined event; and

a control unit that reads out first and second data stored in thestorage unit based on the content of the event, causes the first displayunit to display the first data, and causes the second display unit todisplay the second data, when the detecting part detects thepredetermined occurrence of the event.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provideda method of controlling a banknote handling apparatus that can execute acounting process of banknotes, the control method characterized bycomprising:

detecting an occurrence of a predetermined event;

reading first and second data stored in a storage unit based on thecontent of the detected event; and

displaying the read first data on a first display unit and displayingthe read second data on a second display unit.

The present invention can make the display of the complex functions andconfiguration of a banknote handling apparatus easy for the operator tounderstand. As a result, the operation efficiency of the operator can beimproved, and operational mistakes of the operator can be reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an appearance of a banknote handlingapparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an internal structure of the banknote handlingapparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a configuration of the banknote handlingapparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is block diagrammatic illustrations of examples of the screensdisplayed on the first whole display unit 104 and the second wholedisplay unit 105 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of an example of a procedure of the control unit300 in a display process according to the embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a specific example of the procedure shown inFIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below withreference to the drawings. The content below is an embodiment of thepresent invention and does not limit the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an appearance of a banknote handlingapparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The banknote handling apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of thepresent invention includes a hopper 101, a rejecting unit 102, anoperation unit 103, a first whole display unit 104, a second wholedisplay unit 105, four stacking units 106, and four individual displayunits 107.

The hopper 101 sends banknotes set by the operator into the banknotehandling apparatus 100. The rejecting unit 102 dispenses banknotes whenthe banknotes sent by the hopper 101 are rejected banknotes (forexample, “counterfeit notes”). The operation unit 103 includes inputkeys for accepting an instruction from the operator. The first wholedisplay unit 104 and the second whole display unit 105 display variousdata described below (for example, graphic data). The stacking unit 106stacks the banknotes sent from the hopper 101 by denomination anddetects the full state. The individual display unit 107 is arranged foreach stacking unit 106 and displays the number of banknotes stacked inthe corresponding stacking unit 106. Although FIG. 1 illustrates fourstacking units 106 and individual display units 107, the numbers of thestacking units 106 and the individual display units 107 are not limitedto four.

The first whole display unit 104 and the second whole display unit 105are, for example, graphic-type liquid crystal displays (LCDs). Theindividual display units 107 are, for example, character-type one-lineLCDs.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an internal structure of the banknote handlingapparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The banknote handling apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of thepresent invention internally includes a transport belt 201, sensors 202,diverters 203, residual detecting sensors 204, and a recognition unit205.

The transport belt 201 transports the banknotes sent from the hopper 101to the rejecting unit 102 or the stacking units 106. The sensors 202 areinstalled at a plurality of locations and detect jams at the locations.The diverters 203 are installed at diverging points of the rejectingunit 102 and the plurality of stacking units 106 and divert the pathwayon the transport belt 201. The residual detecting sensor 204 isinstalled in each stacking unit 106 and detects whether the banknotesremain in the corresponding stacking unit 106. The recognition unit 205recognizes attributes of the banknotes (“counterfeit note”, “fitnote/unfit note”, “denomination”, “new note/old note”, and so forth).

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a configuration of the banknote handlingapparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The banknote handling apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of thepresent invention includes a control unit 300 and a storage unit 310.The control unit 300 is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU).The storage unit 310 is, for example, a computer-readable storagemedium, such as a hard disk (HDD), or a detachable storage medium, suchas a CD-ROM.

The control unit 300 includes, control part 301, storage unit controlpart 302, event detecting part 303, display unit control part 304, andcounting part 305.

The control part 301 controls overall operations (for example,operations of the components shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) of the banknotehandling apparatus 100. The storage unit control part 302 reads andwrites data to and from the storage unit 310. The event detecting part303 detects whether an instruction of the operator is accepted from theoperation unit 103, whether the stacking units 106 are full state,whether the sensors 202 have detected jams, and whether the residualdetecting sensors 204 have detected the existence of remaining banknotesin the stacking units 106. The display unit control part 304 causes theindividual display unit 107, the first whole display unit 104, and thesecond whole display unit 105 to display data stored in the storage unit310. The counting part 305 counts the banknotes set on the hopper 101and sent into the banknote handling apparatus 100. The counting processis executed for a plurality of times if an instruction of “verificationcounting mode” is accepted from the operation unit 103. In that case,the counting process is temporarily halted after the first countingprocess is finished, and second and subsequent counting processes areexecuted after the operator sets the banknotes stacked in the stackingunits 106 again to the hopper 101.

The storage unit 310 stores in advance graphic data (first graphic data311 and second graphic data 312) including pictures and character data(first character data 313 and second character data 314) constitutedonly by characters, and can store a counting result (first countingresult 315) of banknotes. The storage unit 310 can further store otherdata 316 excluding data to be displayed on the first and second fulldisplay units 104 and 105. The first graphic data 311, the secondgraphic data 312, the first character data 313, and the second characterdata 314 can be added, changed, or removed. The storage unit 310 canstore not only the first counting result 315, but also a plurality ofcounting results.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of an example of a procedure of the control unit300 in a display process according to the embodiment of the presentinvention.

First, the event detecting part 303 determines whether an occurrence ofan event is detected (S501). When the occurrence of the event isdetected (S501-Yes), the storage unit control part 302 reads out thedata (for example, the first graphic data 311 and the second graphicdata 312) stored in the storage unit 310 based on the content of thedetected event (S502). Subsequently, the display unit control part 304causes the first whole display unit 104 to display the first graphicdata 311 (S503). Subsequently, the display unit control part 304 causesthe second whole display unit 105 to display the second graphic data 312(S504). Steps S503 and S504 can be in any order and can also be executedsimultaneously. In step S504, the graphic data, the counting result, andthe character data can be combined and displayed.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a specific example of the procedure shown inFIG. 5.

First, the event detecting part 303 determines whether the occurrence ofthe event is detected (S601).

If the detected event is “occurrence of jam” (S601-A), the storage unitcontrol part 302 reads out the graphic data (first graphic data 311)indicating a location where the jam occurs and the character data(second character data 314) indicating a jam removing method from thestorage unit 310 based on the type of the detected jam (S602).Subsequently, the display unit control part 304 causes the first wholedisplay unit 104 to display the graphic data indicating the locationwhere the jam occurs (S603). Subsequently, the display unit control part304 causes the second whole display unit 105 to display the characterdata indicating the jam removing method (S604). As a result, the firstwhole display unit 104 displays a screen shown in FIG. 4(A1), and thesecond whole display unit 105 displays a screen shown in FIG. 4(A2).Steps S603 and S604 can be in any order and can be executedsimultaneously. Either one of the data indicating the location where thejam occurs and the data indicating the jam removing method can begraphic data, or both of the data can be graphic data or character data.In S601, the display process is executed in the same procedure when theremaining banknotes or the full state of the stacking unit 106 isdetected.

Meanwhile, if the detected event is “designation of verificationcounting mode” (S601-B), the counting part 305 executes the firstcounting process, and the storage unit control part 302 writes the firstcounting result 315 in the storage unit 310 (S605). Subsequently, thecounting part 305 executes the verification counting process (S606).Subsequently, the storage unit control part 302 reads out the firstcounting result 315 from the storage unit 310 (S607). Subsequently, thedisplay unit control part 304 causes the first whole display unit 104 todisplay the first counting result 315 (S608). Subsequently, the displayunit control part 304 causes the second whole display unit 105 todisplay the verification counting result 314 (S609). As a result, thefirst whole display unit 104 displays a screen shown in FIG. 4(B1), andthe second whole display unit 105 displays a screen shown in FIG. 4(B2).Steps S608 and S609 can be in any order and can be executedsimultaneously. The number of times of the counting process can be threeor more, and in that case, the counting results subsequent to the secondcounting process are also stored in the storage unit 310.

Meanwhile, if the detected event is “designation of two-language mode”(S601-C), the storage unit control part 302 reads out the graphic datafrom the storage unit 310 based on the designated language. For example,in the case of “designation of Japanese+English mode”, the storage unitcontrol part 302 reads out a Japanese menu and an English menu from thestorage unit 310 (S610). Subsequently, the display unit control part 304causes the first whole display unit 104 to display the Japanese menu(S611). Subsequently, the display unit control part 304 causes thesecond whole display unit 105 to display the English menu (S612). As aresult, the first whole display unit 104 displays a screen shown in FIG.4(C1), and the second whole display unit 105 displays a screen shown inFIG. 4(C2). Steps S611 and S612 can be in any order and can be executedsimultaneously. Either one of the data showing the Japanese menu and thedata showing the English menu can be graphic data, or both of the datacan be graphic data or character data.

Meanwhile, if the detected event is “designation of menu screen mode”(S601-D), the storage unit control part 302 reads out a whole menu and adetailed menu from the storage unit 310 (S613). Subsequently, thedisplay unit control part 304 causes the first whole display unit 104 todisplay the whole menu (S614). Subsequently, the display unit controlpart 304 causes the second whole display unit 105 to display thedetailed menu (S615). As a result, the first whole display unit 104displays a screen shown in FIG. 4(D1), and the second whole display unit105 displays a screen shown in FIG. 4(D2). Steps S614 and S615 can be inany order and can be executed simultaneously. Either one of the datashowing the whole menu and the data showing the detailed menu can begraphic data, or both of the data can be graphic data or character data.

According to the present embodiment, the first whole display unit 104and the second whole display unit 105 display different data inaccordance with the event occurred, thereby making the display ofinformation related to the event occurred easy to understand for theoperator. Specifically, since graphic data indicating the location wherethe jam occurs and the jam removing method are displayed when the jamoccurs, the operator can easily remove the jam. Since the first countingresult and the verification counting result are displayed when the“verification counting mode” is designated, the operator can easilycompare the two counting results. Since the menu screens expressed intwo languages are displayed when the “two-language mode” is designated,the usability is not lost under the use environments of the operatorswith different native languages. Since the whole menu and the detailedmenu are displayed when the “menu screen mode” is designated, theoperator can easily select a desired function item.

The screens displayed on the first whole display unit 104 and the secondwhole display unit 105 are switched according to the event occurred.Therefore, the display units do not have to be installed for each eventto be occurred, and the configuration of the banknote handling apparatuscan be simplified. The graphic data and the character data stored in thestorage unit 310 are added, changed, or removed. Therefore, handling ispossible without increasing the display units even if the functions orthe configuration of the banknote handling apparatus 100 are changed.

1. A banknote handling apparatus comprising: an operation unit thataccepts an instruction from an operator; first and second display unitswhich are physically isolated and arranged in parallel; a detecting partthat detects an occurrence of a predetermined event; a storage unit thatstores first and second data, which are related to the event and aredifferent data from each other, for display on the first and seconddisplay units; and a control unit that reads out first and second datastored in the storage unit based on the content of the event, causes thefirst display unit to display the first data, which is related to theevent, and causes the second display unit to display the second data,which is related to the event and is different from the first data, whenthe detecting part detects the occurrence of the predetermined event. 2.The banknote handling apparatus according to claim 1, furthercomprising: a stacking unit that stacks banknotes; and a sensing unitthat detects at least one of a full state of the stacking unit, anexistence of remaining banknotes in the stacking unit, and a jamoccurred in the device, wherein the detecting part detects theoccurrence of the event when the sensing unit detects the full state,the existence of remaining banknotes, or the jam, and the control unitreads out the first and second data stored in the storage unit based onthe content of the event detected by the sensing unit.
 3. The banknotehandling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sensing unitdetects the jam that occurred in the device, first data is dataindicating the content of the jam, and the second data is dataindicating a jam removing method.
 4. The banknote handling apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the control unit reads out the first andsecond data stored in the storage unit based on the content of theinstruction accepted by the operation unit.
 5. The banknote handlingapparatus according to claim 4, wherein the storage unit can store atleast one counting result, the detecting part detects the occurrence ofthe event when the operation unit accepts an instruction of averification counting mode, and the control unit executes firstcounting, stores the result of the first counting in the storage unit,executes verification counting, causes the first display unit to displaythe result of the first counting stored in the storage unit, and causesthe second display unit to display the result of the verificationcounting.
 6. The banknote handling apparatus according to claim 4,wherein the first and second data stored in the storage unit are menudata of first and second languages expressed by the first and secondlanguages, respectively, the detecting part detects the occurrence ofthe event when the operation unit accepts an instruction of atwo-language mode, and the control unit reads out the menu data of thefirst and second languages stored in the storage unit.
 7. The banknotehandling apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first and seconddata stored in the storage unit are first menu data and second menu dataindicating a subordinate item of the first menu data, respectively, thedetecting part detects the occurrence of the event when the operationunit accepts an instruction of a menu screen mode, and the control unitreads out the first and second menu data stored in the storage unit. 8.The banknote handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thecontrol unit adds, changes, or removes the first and second data storedin the storage unit.
 9. The banknote handling apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the first and second display units are graphic LCDs(Liquid Crystal Displays).
 10. The banknote handling apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second data is graphicdata.
 11. A method of controlling a banknote handling apparatus that canexecute a counting process of banknotes, the control method comprising:detecting an occurrence of a predetermined event; reading first andsecond data, which are related to the event and are different data fromeach other, stored in a storage unit based on the content of thedetected event; and displaying the read first data, which is related tothe event, on a first display unit and displaying the read second data,which is related to the event and is different from the first data, on asecond display unit, wherein the first and second display units arephysically isolated and arranged in parallel.
 12. The method ofcontrolling a banknote handling apparatus according to claim 11, whereinthe detecting is to detect the occurrence of the event when at least oneof a full state of a stacking unit, an existence of remaining banknotesin the stacking unit, and a jam occurs in the apparatus, and the readingis to read the first and second data based on the content of thedetected event.
 13. The method of controlling a banknote handlingapparatus according to claim 12, wherein the detecting is to detect theoccurrence of the event when the jam occurs in the apparatus, the firstdata is data indicating the content of the jam, and the second data isdata indicating a jam removing method.
 14. The method of controlling abanknote handling apparatus according to claim 11, further comprisingcontrolling a storage unit to add, change, or remove the first andsecond data.
 15. The method of controlling a banknote handling apparatusaccording to claim 11, further comprising: accepting an instruction froman operator, wherein the detecting is to detect the occurrence of theevent when the accepting accepts the instruction, and the reading is toread the first and second data stored in the storage unit based on thecontent of the accepted instruction.
 16. The method of controlling abanknote handling apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the acceptingis to accept an instruction of a verification counting mode, and thecontrol method comprises executing of verification counting process forexecuting a first counting process, storing the first counting result inthe storage unit, and executing a verification counting process, andwherein the reading is to read the first counting result stored in thestorage unit, and the displaying is to cause the first display unit todisplay the first counting result read in the reading and causes thesecond display unit to display the verification counting resultprocessed in the executing of verification counting process.
 17. Themethod of controlling a banknote handling apparatus according to claim15, wherein the first and second data are menu data of first and secondlanguages expressed by the first and second languages, respectively, theaccepting is to accept an instruction of a two-language mode, and thereading is to read the menu data of the first and second languages. 18.The method of controlling a banknote handling apparatus according toclaim 15, wherein the first and second data are first menu data andsecond menu data indicating a subordinate item of the first menu data,respectively, the accepting is to accept an instruction of a menu screenmode, and the reading is to read the first and second menu data.